Apparatus for manufacture of gas



M. C! WHITAKER AND W. F. R ITTMAN. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURE OF GAS.APPLICATION FILED FEB.,28, 1916. v

1, 348,766 v Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

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i 8Bgb I g 4) 1 l I 1 l s WITNESSES w INVENTOR warren STATES PA'rtN'rorrice. g)

MILTON G. WmTAKER AND WALTER F. RITTMAN, OF NEW YORK, NZ YZ, ASSIGNORST0 symmrro HYDRO-CARBON COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION" OF DELAWARE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

Application filed February 28, 1916. Serial No. 80,956.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, MILTON C. WHIT- AKER andWALTER F. RITTMAN, residing at New York, in the county of New York andState of New York, citizens of the Unlted States, have invented ordiscovered certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus forManufacture of Gas, of which improvements the following is aspecification.

In carrying out of chemical reactions in the industries, it is desirableto obtain a high speed of reaction and an intimate contact of themolecules of the reacting substances' It has been found that manyreactions which are now carried out in other than a gaseous phase, canbe much more readily obtained when the entire body of the substance orsubstances to be treated is first transformed into gases and thensubjected to the appropriate conditions of temperature, pressure andtime, -.which have been proven' suitable for the promotion of theparticular reactions desired.

The invention described and claimed herein, relates to apparatus for thecarrying out of the method set forth in an applicatlon filed April 3,1914, Serial No. 829,169, said method consisting, broadly stated, insubjecting the material or materials when in a gaseous state for asuitable time to a temperature and pressure suitable for the formationof the desired compound and preventing further reaction injurious tosuch compound when formed. The invention is hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, isshown partly in elevation and partly in section a form of apparatusembodying the improvements claimed herein.

In the practice of the invention, the material or materials to betreated are fed into a tube 2 formed of a material capable of withstanding the temperatures and pressures incident to the practice of thecarrying out of the method referred to. As the method is continuous, thetube is heated by the exter nal application of heat and as control ofthe temperature of the tube is desirable under. most conditions,andessential in cases, the heating means employed should be adapted tothese ends and to the economic conditions elective heating element arepreferably incased in a protective coating of magnesiaasbestos or other.suitable refractory material. The ends of the resistance wire A areconnected respectively to suitable conductors extending from a suitablesource of elective energy, as for example, a direct current generator. A'rheostat 10 is included in the circuit of the resistance coil forcontrolling and regulating the universal supply to the coil inaccordance with the heat effects desired. If desired, a pyrometer 11,connected to an appropriate indicator 12 may be employed forascertaining the temperature within the tube 2.

The material or materials are introduced into the tube 2 at one endthereof by any suitable means; As for example, when it is desired toeffect gasification within the tube, the liquid is supplied from asuitable source. WVhen the reaction desired requires a pressure in thetube above atmospheric pressure, the liquid will be subjected tosufficient pressure to cause it to enter the tube. This end may beobtained by arranging the supply reservoir 13 at a suitable height abovethe inlet into the tube and equalizing the pressure in the upper part ofthe reservoir with that in the tube, through an-equalizing tube 14,communicating at its lower end with the tube and at its upper end withthe reservoir at a point above the level of the liquid therein. In thepractice of the method, the material or materials are treated while in agaseous condition, and hence when fed to the tube in a liquid state,provision is made for flashing the liquid into gas. Under properregulation and conditions of the feed, the temperature in the tube willefiect the practically instantaneous transformation of the liquid to agaseous condition, but if sufficient to flash into vapor or gas thematerial coming into contact with the mass of heated refractory*material.

At its lower end, the tube discharges through a condenser 6 into areceptacle 17. This receptacle or segregation chamber which is separatefrom the heated reaction 'zone, serves for the collection of liquidcondensates and. whatever other products may result from the operationof the process. These products ma be removed through the valved pipe 18.VIhen a pressure above atmospheric pressure is maintained in the tube,uncondensed gases ma be discharged from the receptacle, throug the pipe7 When, however, the desired reaction in the tube requires a pressurebelow the atmospheric, the receptacle is connected to a vacuum pump 8,by which the uncondensed gases are drawn from the receptacle and fedinto a suitable container.

It will be readily understood that, when a pressure in excess ofatmospheric is required to effect a desired reaction, such pressure canbe obtained by the proper relative regulation of material to the feed,and the discharge of the resultants of the reaction from the tube. Andfurther, the duration of the reactions in the gasified material can alsobe controlled by suitably adjusting the feed to and discharge from thetube.

The duration of the reaction is thus determined by the rate of movementof the gases through the tube and the length of the reaction zone.

As pointed out in my application Serial No. 829,169, above referred to,the apparatus has been found particularly useful in the treatment ofhydrocarbon oils, but it is adapted for use with other materials inwhich reactions are to be effected in the gaseous phase.

We claim herein as our invention 1. In an apparatus for continuoustreatment of materials in the gaseous state, the combination of (1)means for effecting the substantially instantaneous gasification of thematerials being treated, (2) a substantially upright reaction chamberconnected to said gasifying means and having an unobstructed bodyportion and means for heating said reaction chamber, (3) a segregatingchamber in open communication with the bottom of said reaction chamber,(4:) means for controlling the pressure Within the reaction chamber.

2. In an apparatus for continuous treatment of materials in the gaseousstate, the combination of (1) means for effecting the gasification ofthe materials .being treated, (2) a substantially upright reactionchamber connected to said gasifying means and having an unobstructedbody portion and means for heating said reaction chamber, (3) asegregating chamberin open communication with the bottom of saidreaction chamber, (4) means for controlling the pressure within thereaction chamber.

3. In an apparatus for treating materials in a gaseous phase, thecombination of means for feeding the material to be treated, a pluralityof small spaced surfaces, arranged in the line of the flow of thematerial, means for heating the ob'ects forming the surfaces, to atemperature a ove the gasifying temperature of such material and anunobstructed chamber for receiving the gas and means for heating thewalls of such chamber.

4. In an apparatus for treating materials in the gaseous state, thecombination of a substantially upright chamber, means for heating thechamber, means for introducing material into the upper portion of thechamber, said chamber having a substantially unobstructed body portion,and means within said chamber and above the body portion for gasifyingthe said material.

5. In an apparatus for treating materials in the gaseous state, thecombination of a substantially upright chamber, means for heating thechamber, means for introducing material into the upper portion of thechamber, said chamber having a substantially unobstructed body portion,and means within said chamber and above the body portion for gasifyingthe said material, said gasifying means comprising pieces of refractorymaterial.

6. In an apparatus for treating materials in the gaseous state, thecombination of a substantially upright chamber, means for heating thechamber, means for introducing material into the upper portion of thechamber, said chamber having a substan tially unobstructed body portion,and a mass of refractory material arranged across said chamber above thebod portion.

7. In an apparatus or treating materials in the gaseous state, thecombination of a substantially upright chamber, means for heating thechamber, means for introducing material into the upper portion of thechamber, said chamber having a substantially unobstructed body portion,and a mass of refractory material supported on a perforated platearranged above said body portion.

8. In an apparatus for treating materials her, said chamber having asubstantially un- 15 obstructed body portion, means Within said chamberand above the body portion for gasifying said material, means forcontrolling the pressure Within said chamber, and means for controllingthe feed of material 20 to said chamber.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands.

MILTON G. WHITAKER. WALTER F. RITTMAN.

Witness G. G. TRILL.

